As the global technology ecosystem searches for its next major frontier in growth, investment, and cross-border collaboration, Riyadh is once again stepping into the center stage. The award-winning technology event, LEAP, will return for its milestone fifth edition, taking place from August 31 to September 3, 2026.
Co-organised by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones (SAFCSP), and live-events organizer Tahaluf, the gathering reflects Saudi Arabia’s accelerating role as an international anchor for digital transformation under the sovereign Vision 2030 strategy. Moving past conceptual debates, this year’s installment introduces an expanded program engineered to turn high-level tech policy into tangible global economic impact.
A Trillion-Dollar Nexus of Capital and Innovation
Since its initial market debut in 2022, LEAP has rapidly matured into the world’s most attended technology event. Across its first four iterations, the platform has generated an aggregate footprint encompassing more than 688,000 attendees, 2,480 early-stage startups, 6,200 enterprise companies, and upwards of 5,000 international investors.
The event has built a formidable reputation as a high-velocity launchpad for sovereign announcements and corporate dealmaking. Following a record-breaking $14.9billion in deals closed during the 2025 gathering, the forum continues to act as a global financial catalyst, delivering an estimated $820million in direct economic impact to the global digital economy.
The upcoming 2026 edition is projected to shatter previous milestones, drawing an estimated 201,000 visitors, 1,800 global tech brands, and more than 1,900 international investors. The capital matchmaking layer is anchored by the dedicated Investor and Founder Stage alongside the prominent $1million Rocket Fuel Pitch Competition. Backed by premier institutional funds—including the Public Investment Fund (PIF), Saudi Venture Capital (SVC), 500 Global, Rakuten Capital, and 20VC—the program is designed to drive early-stage capital deployment and cross-border deals across 60 specialized tech verticals.
C-Suite Architects and Deep Tech Stages
The structural scale of the event is underscored by the convergence of legacy tech giants and emerging sovereign entities. Multinational heavyweights including Google, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Luma AI, AMD, Qualcomm, Cisco, Lenovo, HP, HPE, Huawei, Foxconn, and Cerebras Systems will interface directly with local industry leaders such as stc, Aramco, Elm, Alat, and HUMAIN.
The speaker faculty features over 1,000 visionaries defining contemporary computer science, cloud infrastructure, and algorithmic regulation. Key confirmed speakers include Matt Garman, CEO of AWS; Justin Hotard, President and CEO of Nokia; and Tareq Amin, CEO of HUMAIN. They are joined by frontier innovators like Andrew Feldman of Cerebras Systems, Hanne Jesca Bax of EY, and Chandra Donelson of the US Space Force, each exploring the applied AI stacks and next-generation data dependencies that modern governments and enterprise networks will rely on tomorrow.
The physical footprint at the convention center will span more than twenty specialized stages targeting climate tech, health tech, space exploration, smart cities, and fintech. Making a highly anticipated return is DeepFest, the region’s premier platform for machine learning and deep tech. Supported by industry leaders like EY, Snowflake, Alteryx, Agibot, and Xerox, DeepFest will feature an immersive Tech Arena showcasing live software demonstrations and practical enterprise AI use cases.
“Over the past four years, LEAP has evolved at a rocket-fuelled pace, playing a critical role in nurturing talent, creativity and investment,” stated Faisal Alkhamisi, Chairman of the SAFCSP. “Yet, this is just the beginning. LEAP will continue to reflect the ever-changing tech landscape and inspire pioneers from across the globe”.
Creative Convergence: GameX and Sports Tech
Among the boldest additions to the 2026 architecture is GameX Creative, a flagship zone explicitly designed to unpack the economic opportunities within digital storytelling and interactive entertainment. Developed in tandem with gaming powerhouses and media innovators—including Savvy Games Group, ESL FACEIT Group, Hero Esports, Steer Studios, OSN+, the Red Sea Film Foundation, MDLBeast, and Kojima Productions—the space will highlight the computing infrastructure and venture capital driving esports and digital entertainment.
Simultaneously, the Sports Tech Hub returns at an expanded scale to examine how advanced analytics are rewriting the parameters of athletic performance and commercial fan engagement. Executive leaders from global sports institutions—such as The English FA, La Liga, the Saudi Pro League, Juventus FC, Atlético Madrid, and Tottenham Hotspur FC—will collaborate with high-performance automotive pioneers from Ferrari and the Aston Martin Formula One Team.
To tie these disparate verticals into a actionable ecosystem, the event is introducing LEAP Connect. Operating as a highly structured networking environment, this connective layer utilizes algorithmic matchmaking to ensure that high-level innovation discussed on stage seamlessly translates into multi-party corporate partnerships and binding international trade deals beyond it.
“LEAP has become a place where the future is not just discussed but built,” concluded Mike Champion, CEO of Tahaluf. “The momentum in Saudi Arabia is extraordinary, and as LEAP enters its fifth edition, it will take this ambition into new worlds, unlocking investment and shaping the technologies that will define the next decade”.
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